Oscar Piastri’s McLaren exit clause detail emerges amid Red Bull interest to replace Max Verstappen

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Red Bull are keeping close tabs on Oscar Piastri as they eye potential replacements for Max Verstappen, as he could get the right to cancel his McLaren contract this summer.

The F1 driver market has yet to really kick off this season, as most teams are likely waiting to see whether or not Verstappen will follow through on his threats to retire from Formula 1. It is also possible that the four-time champion could just opt to leave Red Bull for next season.

Verstappen is regularly threatening to leave F1 as he loathes the power units that have been introduced in 2026. Red Bull may also not be protected by the 28-year-old having a contract through 2028, as his terms include a release clause that is highly likely to be on offer to him.

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Oscar Piastri can leave McLaren if he is outside the top five in the championship this summer

It is believed that Verstappen will have from August to October to activate his release clause if he enters the summer break sitting outside the top two in the standings. It is also now said that Piastri could be able to break his contract for McLaren early based on his championship position at F1’s 2026 summer break, which follows the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 24-26.

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That is according to F1-Insider’s Ralf Bach, who notes that Red Bull ‘really want’ Verstappen to stay next season. But the Milton Keynes squad are ‘worried’ that their star driver will opt to leave. So, Red Bull have set their sights on Piastri, in case he can leave McLaren this year.

Piastri is understood to have a release clause in his contract with McLaren through 2028 that will let him leave early if he hits the 2026 summer break outside the top five positions in the F1 drivers’ standings. Currently, the 25-year-old is in fifth, but his position is far from secure.

McLaren teammate Lando Norris sits just two points behind Piastri in the standings after the first six rounds of the season. Despite retiring at the very start of the Monaco Grand Prix last Sunday, Verstappen in seventh place is also only 17 points behind Piastri on 43 and 60 each.

Red Bull are interested in Piastri replacing Verstappen thanks to the possibility of the release clause in his contract with McLaren, and it is not considered impossible that the Australian’s time in Woking could come to an end if the Dutchman were to leave his Milton Keynes crew.

Additionally, it has previously been claimed that Piastri can terminate his contract if he feels McLaren favour Norris. It was suggested that the Australian holds a get-out clause following the allegations that McLaren faced during 2025 that they had backed Norris in the title race.